I’ve been on a green and homesteading kick lately, so today I’m going to share with you how to make your own homemade laundry detergent. It’s all natural, non-toxic, and oh by the way… you can save $70 or more a year! Hello frugal living!
What is more important to you? Eliminating the toxic chemicals in your home? Taking care of the environment? Or saving money? Are you wondering how safe our laundry detergents are? What to do about it? Make your own DIY laundry detergent! It’s easy and frugal!
I used unscented castile soap and Essential Oils. You can use any great scent like lavender or citrus. My favorite is Purification.
Homemade All-Natural Laundry Detergent Ingredients
Ingredients for a one-gallon container (one gallon = 16 cups). Adjust as needed for your size. (The size shown in this picture is 1 1/2 gallons).
1/4 Cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1/4 Cup Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda
1/4 Cup Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Liquid Soap
50-100 drops Purification Essential Oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the Washing Soda and Baking Soda with enough hot water until it is dissolved.
- Pour this into your laundry detergent container.
- Fill the container with warm water almost to the top, leaving a couple inches of space at the top.
- Pour in the Castile Soap and gently mix.
- Add your Essential Oil and mix again.
- Keep a wooden spoon or something similar with the container so you can give the detergent a quick stir before using each time.
- Use 1/3 of a cup of the detergent according to your washing machine’s instructions.
Psst… want easy to follow instructions on how to make all of your favorite household cleaners… the all-natural way? It’s eezy peezy! Click below…
Does it Really Work?
Call me a bit skeptical. I will toss in a chemically laden detergent into my washing machine without even thinking, but something all natural… well now that requires baby steps.
Yes, the homemade laundry soap actually works! The clothes came out smelling unscented but still fresh and clean. Exactly what I’m looking for! I’m officially hooked! I do sometimes supplement with an all-natural stain spray and oxy boost.
AND… I always keep TrulyFree (MyGreenFills) all-natural laundry detergent on hand for backup in case I run out. PS – they are offering my Pink Fortitude family your first 50 loads of laundry – FOR FREE!
The Math
Let’s work with some basic assumptions here. There will be price differences based on where you shop and also some rounding to make the math easier to understand.
Our home averages 400 loads of laundry a year.
Normal Detergent
94 loads of “Orange Bottle” detergent = $20.00 per container.
Four containers = one year’s worth of laundry = $80.00
$80 for a year’s worth of laundry divided by 400 loads = 20 cents per load of laundry.
Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent
Eight one gallon containers will give us one year’s worth of laundry.
Washing Soda = $2.50 for 55 ounces. This will last for 24 one gallon containers or 10 cents per container.
Baking Soda = $2.00 for 4 pounds. This will last for 32 one gallon containers or 6 cents per container.
Castile Soap = $20.00 for 32 ounces. This will last for 16 one gallon containers or $1.25 per container.
Initial purchase = $25.00 (for basic detergent ingredients not including the container and oils).
Total cost per container = $1.50
If 16 cups = 1 gallon, then there are approximately 50 loads of laundry per one gallon container.
So, one-gallon container = $1.50 times 50 loads of laundry per one gallon container = 3 cents per load of laundry.
Or, one-gallon container is approximately $1.50 to make, times 8 containers per year = $12.00 per year.
Does your head hurt from the math? Try being on this side trying to figure out the numbers!!!! And oh by the way, in addition to saving approximately $70.00 per year on laundry detergent, NO TOXIC CHEMICALS!
I also switched to eco-friendly wool dryer balls. One baby step at a time!
Psst… want easy to follow instructions on how to make all of your favorite household cleaners… the all-natural way? It’s eezy peezy! Click below…
Our Dinner Conversation About the New Laundry Soap Recipe
My Dad helped me try out the new detergent, and he was even more excited than I was. Too much, I think. Because this is how the dinnertime conversation went:
Me (to Hubby): Dad smelled your socks today.
Dad: Yeah, they smelled really good.
Hubby: Bob – that’s just creepy.
Dad: But it was after Holly washed them. They were clean.
Hubby: Still creepy.
#supportivefamily #socksniffers #youknowithappensinyourhometoo
You can check out my video DIY too…
Want More Laundry Resources? Of Course, You Do!
TrulyFree (MyGreenFills) All-Natural Detergent – 50 Loads for FREE
What are the Dangers Lurking in Your Laundry Machine?
How to Clean Your Washing Machine
This Laundry Method Will Blow Your Mind
Are you Inspired? Take the quiz and learn more!
Love, hugs, and give us dirty laundry.
Well, I’ve read the post about your all-natural purpose cleaner and decided I will be trying that soon. Now I think I might as well try the laundry detergent! I would like to know if it works on minor stains also, or what would you recommend in that situation? Thank you so much! Love your blog 🙂
Hi Maria – You are so sweet, thank you for your kind words! I still use the store bought pre-treat, but so far it’s worked well on minor stains. The Arm and Hammer washing soda is actually marketed for people to use along with their regular detergent to help with stain removal. One natural switch at a time! Hugs, Holly
Fill a spray bottle with peroxide and blue dawn! 1 part blue dawn to 2 parts peroxide! It’s amazing and even gets out oil stains! Way better than any store bought spray and I’ve never had it discolor or ruin anything! And with 4 kids…we have lots of stains!
Hi Amelia – Thanks for sharing!!! Hugs, Holly
Lots of Thanks for sharing.
I also use hydrogen peroxide and blue Dawn for pretreating.
It works very well
good to know…I had been using vinegar and dawn blue. is the peroxide better? thanks!
Thank you. Sounds good.
That’s what I do! It works great
gm60jensen@gmail.com
Hello. My hubby is a drywall tapper. Will this be powerful enough to take the mud off his clothes? Thanks for any feedback
Hi Nicole – It should. For the tougher stains, we combine it with an oxy boost from Honest Co. and sometimes use their stain spray too. This combo actually got out red wine from a light colored tablecloth. I had to wash it twice, as the first time the stain was alllllmost out but the second time was 100% clean. The most difficult dirt has been from Stepson’s soccer clothes and Hubby’s outside work clothes and no issues there. Hope this helps! Hugs, Holly
I use natural detergent, but use a spray bottle of Young Living’s Thieves Cleaner as my spot treatment. Lemon EO works pretty well also for spots. I use the Thieves cleaner to clean my entire house and take stains out of clothes, rugs, carpets, etc… it is AMAZING.
Hi Nicole – I am a YL Distributor, but I haven’t tried the Thieves yet… heard it’s awesome! Thanks so much for stopping by to share and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
I love using Lemon Oil and Rosemary oil. I was sold when it got washed and dried black ink out of khakis!! I use doterra oils.
Woohoo! doTerra is wonderful!
Quick question, I have an HE machine that recommends HE soap can I use this soap? Hope so! Love this idea! Thanks:)
Hi Corrine – I have an HE machine and have been using this homemade detergent for a few years and have not had any problems. Thanks for taking the time to stop by! Hugs, Holly
For HE washers how much ch of the laundry soap do you use?
Hi Anne – I have an HE and I use 1/3 cup. Try that amount, and adjust more or less as needed. Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
How much do you use 1/4 a cup for a load or less?
Hi Danielle – I use 1/3 cup for every load I do. It’s actually a little less as the measuring cup is never full to the brim. Seems to work fine for me, but you may want to experiment with a little more or less. Hugs, Holly
How many drops of essential oil do you add to the detergent?
Ok, thank you so much for your quick reply! I am relocating from Portugal to the US next summer so I’ll have to get new brands and products, all new for me! Hope to make a smooth transition with my husband and our 4 and 6 years old!!!
I love the dispenser, and for once a DIY laundry detergent without borax! Yay!!
Hi Aggie – Thanks so much! Yay for no borax!!! Hugs, Holly
There’s nothing wrong with borax. It’s not actually toxic to humans.
Hi Tabi – Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it actually is, and it is a hormone disrupter. Best source: http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2011/02/borax-not-green-alternative-its-cracked-be
Why do they say to keep it away from pets and children, when putting it out to keep ants away then? Yes it is toxic. Sorry. It’s hard on our skin, and I’m very happy to get this new recipe for laundry soap. THANK YOU THANK YOU. Miss Gigi
did your dispenser start to leak or get jammed? that’s where I keep finding issues. If not, can you tell me where you got yours and how long you have used it?
I’ve been wanting to try homemade laundry detergent so I’m excited to try your recipe. But, Holly,you’ve got me laughing at the juxtaposition of the old fashioned wash board next to your laundry sign! You’re too funny.
HI Susan – You know me, I aim to inform AND entertain! I’m surprised no comments about my Dad sniffing Hubby’s socks though LOL. Hugs, Holly
I love the drink dispenser idea. Thank you for sharing at THT!
Hi Pamela – I’ve seen them with large containers, but thought the drink container would be easier to manage. Hugs, Holly
Hi there! Visiting from This Is How We Roll. That is such a cute way to storage laundry detergent! Thanks for sharing your detergent recipe and idea!
Hi Ashley – You are so sweet, thank you so much for your kind words! Hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
I would like to try your recipe. Can you tell how much of the essential oil you added? Have you tried adding Theives or Theives cleaner?
Hi Laura – Good question and catch, thank you! Despite countless editing for each post, it’s always amusing how the gremlins come in and delete words! I used about 20-30 drops, enough to give it a little ooomph. You can totally use Theives or lavender or any of the other oils too. I am partial to Purification in my laundry. Thanks for stopping by! Hugs, Holly
Does it have to be a glass container?
Hi Janna – A glass container is recommended because it’s more eco-friendly than plastic, it doesn’t contain any potential toxins, and some of the oils may react with plastic. I promise you that the container police will not arrest you if you don’t use glass, but it is what is recommended most. Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again! Hugs, Holly
would this be ok to use in my energy efficient washer
Hi Jessica – Absolutely! We do! Thanks for stopping by to say hello! Hugs, Holly
Has anyone done a bacteria count after this laundry soap has been sitting awhile. I have worked in a lab and know that bacteria (microbes ) can make people very sick.
Hi Kathleen – What a great question, thanks so much for stopping by! I did a little research as much as I could after reading your question and I haven’t been able to find much on the topic. Many people have been making their own homemade laundry detergent since the beginning of time so I’m guessing if the chemicals in store-bought laundry detergent don’t kill you first then it’s fair to worry about the bacteria. Valid point… I just don’t know more. Thanks again for taking the time to say hello and I hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
Hi! I have found a similar recipie without the essential oil and love it but want to incorporate the essential oils in it as well for my next batch. I am wondering how many drops you put in? I don’t want to use too little or too much.
Thanks!
Lulu
Hi Lulu – I used around 20-30 drops. It’s up to you, but the bigger the container, the more drops you can use. Thanks so much for stopping by to share! I hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
How much water do you add to this recipe?
Hi Holly, thanks for posting up this great idea. I was wondering, is the laundry detergent safe for high efficiency washing machines? Thanks!
Liz
Hi Liz – Yes, it’s safe for HE machines. I use it on mine! Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
I use laundry runoff as gray water to water my outdoor plants & trees (non comedigenic) is this mixture compatible with plant life ?
Where did you find the big glass container that you used? I want to try this recipe for the laundry detergent, but have to find a glass container big enough with a spout like you have.
Hi Shirley – Thank you so much for stopping by! The link to the container is in the article – I found it on Amazon. Hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
Thank you Holly! I found the link on your site to the container.
Well, I would think smelling socks before they were washed would be weird but after? Nah, I always smell my clothes after they are washed! Thank you for the non- borax recipe. Will try it after I finish my other laundry soap and like the stain treatment idea too!
Hi Maida – Thanks so much for stopping by to share! Glad it was helpful and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
I made a batch and I love the recipe. I noticed after sitting for a few days the detergent has thickened and there is what looks like white clumps to it. I am thinking this might be the soda wash? Have you experienced this before?
Hi Sarah – Thank you so much for stopping by to comment! You really have to stir it together when you first mix it, and then give it a quick stir before you use it, as all of the matter (including a few clumps) will settle to the bottom and the water will stay on top. There also may be some exterior hardening, and you can scrub that off. The good and bad about not using chemicals to bind everything together. To me, it’s still worth the effort of all natural detergent. Hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
hi! I made this recipe and after sitting for a few days it got some flaky silt in it, how do I fix this? Thanks!:)
Hi Danielle – Thank you so much for stopping by to comment! Someone literally just asked the same question, so I’m coping over the answer… You really have to stir it together when you first mix it, and then give it a quick stir before you use it, as all of the matter (including a few clumps) will settle to the bottom and the water will stay on top. There also may be some exterior hardening, and you can scrub that off. The good and bad about not using chemicals to bind everything together. To me, it’s still worth the effort of all natural detergent. Hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
Hello. Thank you for the recipe! I’m excited to try it. I made a batch this weekend and the consistency is very much like water, is that how it should be. It looks like more of a gel/laundry detergent consistency in your photo.
Thank you.
Hi Rachel – The consistency is more water-based. You have to stir it because the contents will settle. You don’t have the extra chemicals to keep all of the ingredients glued together. Definitely a trade-off but for me, it’s worth it. Thank you for stopping by to share and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
Is the lavender essential oil what makes it smell so good? I used lavender castile soap and left out the EO because I don’t have any on hand. Will it be okay to add that in even though it’s already made?
Hi Annice – Lavender castile soap or lavender essential oil both smell wonderful! You may not have to add any EO’s if you already used a scented soap, but smell it and adjust according to what you prefer! Thanks so much for stopping by to share and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
i just made this & was very excited to start using it however my fiancé just brought up a good point. We do have a high efficiency washer so now we are concerned about using this mixture. I have not used it yet, do you think this is safe to using in our high efficiency washing machine?
Hi Kim – Thanks so much for stopping by! Without giving you an “official” answer… we have a HE machine and haven’t had any problems. Hugs, Holly
Does the container have to be air tight?
Hi Kelli – Thanks so much for stopping by! There are days that I forget to put the lid back on and everything still works. Hugs, Holly
Is this homemade detergent ok for front loading washing machines? It seems as though they’re so delicate and you have to use a certain type of detergent if you were to purchase one.
Thanks
Hi Becky – Ours is top loading, but I’m not familiar with having to use a different detergent on front loading. There are a zillion times fewer chemicals in the homemade version so I can only imagine it’s more delicate than traditional detergents but I can only speak to it working on ours. Thanks so much for stopping by to say hello and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
Do you put this in your dispenser or just straight into the tub?
Hi Liz – Thanks so much for stopping by! Yep – I put it right in the bottom of the washing machine and the clothes on top. Hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
We have a traditional top loading washer. I’m wondering if this would be too diluted to use because our washer uses more water than an HE. What do you think?
Hi Karen – No harm in giving it a whirl – the only difference between this and the ones you purchase at the store are the lack of all of the chemicals. Thanks for stopping by! Hugs, Holly
Hello thank you for that recipe, but I would like to know if it could used as a resale. I own a bath and body company and I would love to add this to my product line and if not can you tell me how I could make it for resale.
Hi what measurement of detergent do you use per load of laundry? Say if I have a small, medium, large load? I want to make sure I can stretch the detergent as far as I can and not overuse. Thanks for this awesome recipe!!
Hi Meghan – You know, I always just use 1/3 of a cup for every load I do. I’m sure you can add a little less in for smaller loads. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and say hello and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
Have you tried this recipe with the addition of OxiClean? I like the extra oomph OxiClean gives to laundry and was wondering if I could just stir it right in?
Hi Maribel – I have noticed after some time that the whites aren’t as white as they used to be. I just ordered some oxi-type tabs from Honest to try out. I’m not going to add it to the mix, but will add them to the machine once in awhile. We’ll see how they work! Hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
Holly,
I really like your recipe. I cant wait to try it..This maybe a silly question to ask 🙂 My husband works outside and when he gets home his clothes are incredibly dirty..do you think this detergent would completely remove the dirty..
Did you try the oxi type tabs? Did it work?
Thanks Again! 🙂
Hi Ana – Let me put it this way… in a house with a Hubby who likes his share of dirt and a 13 year-old boy, we have our share of stains. I use Honest Company pre-treat and their Oxi-Boost tabs along with my homemade detergent for the tougher stains. From personal experience I believe this combination works just as well if not better than the traditional chemical detergents. I was even able to get out a red wine stain on a vintage tablecloth. It’s all trial and error of course, but that’s what works for us. Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
Thank you for the quick replay. I definitely going to give it a try. I ‘m looking forward to having a detegent free of toxins and good on my wallet ha ?
I have an elextrolux front loading washer, it has the little drawer where you are supposed to put the detergent and fabric softener. I was reading some of your responses to comments and saw that you put the laundry soap directly inside the machine under the clothes. should i do this or put in in the spot made for the soap when using your recipie?
Hi Mykel – My apologies for the delayed response – I just had 30 comments appear out of nowhere and some were two months old! While I’m not familiar with your model, if it’s saying that is the place for soap, I would follow the manufacturer’s directions. Thanks so much for stopping by to say hello and I really do appreciate it! Hugs, Holly
Hi Holly! I’m loving this idea! I’ve seen tons of blog posts for homemade laundry powder but not often do I see a liquid. I can’t wait to try it! Can I ask you, has the dispenser (from the amazon link) held up okay without leaking/cracking? How does it handle the liquid being thicker than say tea or water? Thanks again for the post!
Hi Brandy – Thank you so much for taking the time to say hello! The container so far has held up just fine. You do have to clean the spout or it will get caked on soap, but it’s just soap, so anything that gets the stuff on it will come off in a second with some warm/hot water. Hope this helps, and hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
Hi! I found you on Pinterest and I do laundry all the time! Do you know if this could be used in a he washer? Thanks!
Hi Caroline – I have an HE washer and it seems to work just fine. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
Thanks for getting back to me! Thats great to know. I’m almost out of the current detergent that I’m using. I really like it, but its super expensive!
*Scrolling through the comments–you may want to add a note to the original post indicating that it works in your HE machine. ?
#facepalm you are brilliant thank you! Hugs, Holly
I am now.in the process of making my second batch of this! I really like it. I don’t use any eo’s to scent it, as I’d rather use them for their therapeutic uses as opposed to using for scent and I find that my clothes still come out smelling quite fresh. I do have a question, though. I am making this according to your directions, and I find that when I pour the hot water into the baking and washing soda mix, some of it forms into really hard clumps instead of dissolving. Is there a reason for this, or a way that I can keep this from happening? Otherwise, the detergent has been amazing! My clothes smell cleaner with this than they ever smelled with store bought products! P.S. Just in case anybody else wants to know, vinegar works very well as a softening agent, and peroxide works well as a whitener instead of bleach. My whites are actually whiter than they ever were using bleach.
Hey! Do you use the vinegar in your batch of detergent or add it in separately? I don’t want to ruin a batch of detergent to try it! Also, if you add in–how much?
I add the vinegar in seperately. My washer has seperate compartments for the detergent and fabric softener, so I put this detergent in the correct compartment and the vinegar in the fabric softener compartment. If you don’t have a compartment, you can put vinegar in a Downy ball or just put it in when your washer begins the rinse cycle. When I use peroxide on my whites, I put it in the bleach compartment. Hope this helps you!
I have the same question, but didn’t see and answer. When I tried my first batch, I ended up with a very thick, clumpy consistency rather than a smooth, pourable mixture. What did I do wrong?
It takes a lot of working it with something sturdy to get it to not be a gallon of water with a big hard block at the bottom of it. I haven’t gotten an answer as to how to avoid this happening. I also have the trouble now that my detergent has clogged my drink dispenser, and nothing will come out of it. Ugh! So, when I make my next batch I’m going try something different. Perhaps I shall boil the water, then put the water in a container first and sprinkle the mixture in on top while mixing, instead of pouring the water on top of the mixture and see how that works. And maybe putting it in a blender and blending it up really well will help some, too. Just some things I’m going to try out.
Hi Kris – Be sure to use warm water and add and stir gradually. It shouldn’t be clumpy. Hugs, Holly
I added the washing soda slowly to boiled water and then added the baking soda to it, if you add just a portion of what this recipe calls for of the baking soda it turns into a gel like consistency, I then added the rest if the baking soda straight into the rest if the water and mixed it and then added what I already had mixed into and with adding it separately into the boiled water mine doesn’t have any clumps..hope this helps! I also added a tablespoon of DoTerra’s onguard cleaner in mine along with a few drops of purify just to give it alil extra oomph..;-) Also I’ll ask you too, do you think adding some vinegar into this may help it keep longer?
Vinegar will desaponify the castile soap. Best to use it separately.
Mine is still a very thin liquid…should I allow it time to “set up”? If so, should I cover it or leave it uncovered? Sorry for all the questions :/
Mine is watery too, I’m thinking from re-reading through comments again that it’s supposed to be more of a watery consistency
Ok so this may have already been answered but I did see it. My husband and I both have real sentisve skin. Can we leave out the oils?
Hi Amanda – Of course! Thanks so much for stopping by to say hello and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
Just wondering on the container….i have a drink dispenser similar to yours, but it is metal. Do you think that would that be ok with the oils or not? Thanks!
Hi Megan – Metal should be fine. Sometimes the oils can break down plastic, so many of the EO companies suggest not using plastic. But metal should be fine. Thanks for stopping by! Hugs, Holly
Hey holly, wondering if you have kids and if the essential oils have ever done anything to their skin? I’m new to essentional oils and haven’t even used my diffuser because I’m worried with my babies!
Hi Danielle – It depends on the oil and how you use it. Most of the ones you would use in laundry (purification, lavender, etc) are fine and much more sensitive than commercial brands. But do check the labels first! Thanks for stopping by to say hello and I hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
I have made homemade laundry detergent before ( not this particular recipe) and had trouble with my clothes fading. Anyone else have this issue?
Hi Pippy – Every so often, I’ll add an oxy booster from Honest Company but haven’t noticed anything different than any other detergent I’ve used. Not sure about anyone else but always glad to hear! Hugs, Holly
Cant wait to try! Just ordered everything from amazon 🙂
Hi Genevieve – Awesome! Hope you enjoy! Hugs, Holly
Can I use another brand of liquid detergent. In Australia we do not stock the brand you used
Hi Lorraine – I would say it’s trial and error… try and find the equivalent products. Hugs to our friends down under! Holly
Hi holly, I just made this and mixed the washing soda and baking soda together and it got really thick so I boiled water and then disolved it in it. I seen another comment asking about the texture of this, and I was wondering the same..your picture does kind of look like a gel, and when I was first adding baking soda to the washing soda it was turning into a nice gel but the more u added baking soda the thicker it got and it lost the gel texture. As of now it looks like cloudy water. Will it turn back to a gel look, or did I mess it up by not having enough water in it at the time of adding the baking soda? Or is it more of a water consistency? Thanks so much for your reply!! I wanted to add I love using lemon and rosemary oil in water to use as a stain pre-treater, works great with a toothbrush, you could also add a drop of castile in it to give it a tiny suds action. 😉 Also..Thanks for such an easy recipe I’m excited to go try it in a minute!!! Do you think adding vinegar may help keep it from getting bad? Detergent lasts awhile at my house
So awesome that you enjoy using it and add your own spin to it too! It is a cloudy water texture, definitely not a gel. And it does settle too, so you have to give it a quick stir before using it. Hugs, Holly
LOVE this laundry detergent….but my question is WHERE DO I GET THAT TIN SIGN?!?!?! I would actually enjoy doing laundry if I had this hanging in my laundry room!
Hi Jessica – OMG you are awesome!!! I think I found it at a vintage flea market. I think. Hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
Ahh thanks so much, I found this on Pinterest and I want to try it out! My oldest daughter has horrible eczema! Poor thing is only two so I know it’s probably worse from her scratching. I’m wondering if anyone with eczema has tried this, and if it helped reduce flair ups, or helped reduce scratching? We have used several free and clear detergents and none of them seem to help much. I have been searching for the right all natural cleaner and this will hopefully be it. Fingers crossed. And any help is appreciated!
Hi Tara – So sorry to hear about your daughter. I know it’s a very “clean” detergent, but not sure if it will work or not in your situation. I hope it does! Hugs, Holly
Can you use this laundry detergent in an high efficiency washer?
Hi Danielle – We have a HE washer and have never had a problem with ours. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
Ha ha sock sniffers! good for you Holly making your own detergent. Not sure I can give up my chemicals for clothes just yet. I’ll keep your recipe handy though. Stopping by to let you know you are being featured on Friday’s P3 Party post! Have a great week! Thanks for pinning!
Best,
Kim
Hi Kim – Yep – Hubby and my Father just crack me up with their banter. Thanks as always for hosting and thanks so much for the feature! Hugs, Holly
How many drops of the essential oils?
Hi Susie – Depending on the size of the container and how much “fragrance” you want – you can do anywhere from 50-100 give or take. You can always add a smaller amount and then add more as needed too! Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs, Holly
Hi Holly,
Just made your detergent and when I went to use it I found a huge congealed clump of gel. What did I do wrong and can I fix it?
Thanks,
Rose
Hi Rose – Thank you so much for stopping by! The water probably wasn’t warm enough when you mixed everything together. You will need to give it a quick stir before each use as well. Remember – there are no chemicals to act as binders like regular detergent! Hope this helps. Hugs, Holly
Hi there! I heard you on the Hashimoto’s Summit this morning and you mentioned that you make your own cleaners, skin care etc. so I thought that I would come on over for a look. I make almost all my own stuff as well because I think that reducing chemicals in our environments is so important. Last week I posted my version of laundry soap on my blog.
Hi Margaret – Thank you so much for listening to the podcast and most importantly taking the steps to good health! Hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
Can you use this on cloth diapers?
That’s my question, too. I have PUL diapers.
Hi Justine – Sure thing! It’s super gentle and no harsh chemicals! Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
Hi! I use young living essential oils and can’t wait to make this!! How many drops of purification should I use?? And can I use this detergent on cloth diapers?? Thanks so much for the recipe!
Hi Rachel – The general rule of thumb is one drop per ounce, but for a large container similar to this size, I would go with 25-50 drops. Everything is all-natural so you should be fine on cloth diapers. Of course, if there is a reaction with the little one, stop using it. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
I just made mine today! I even bought the cool container. Thanks!!!
Hi Jill – Awesome! Thanks so much for stopping by to share and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs, Holly
Love the recipes. I would like to know where to get the “drop your pants” sign.
I am in flooded south Louisiana and redoing my laundry room, would love to have it
Thanks
Ann
Hi Ann – So sorry to hear about the flooding. I think I purchased the sign at a WWII themed flea market a few years ago. I remember picking a few up there and I think that’s where I got it. Best wishes to you as you rebuild and remodel back to normal. Hugs, Holly
Hi! Is this detergent safe to use for cloth diapers?
Hi Stacy – Technically yes, and much safer than any detergents with chemicals. But everyone’s skin is different so give it a try and discontinue use if any issues. Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
What should the consistency be? I made some but I used boiling water… and I think that screwed my detergent up…
Hi Anastasia – You aren’t going to have the same creamy consistency as a store-brand detergent. This is all natural and does not have any chemical binders or fillers to achieve the same consistency. It will separate a bit, and you will probably still have some clumps here and there. I always give mine a stir first. Hope this helps. I’m sure it’s fine, just not what you are used to. Hugs, Holly
How much are you suppose to use in the newer machines of today
Hi Linda Sue – The recommendation is 1/3 cup but feel free to use more or less as needed. We have an HE machine and the 1/3 is perfect. Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
Does anyone know if this will work with cloth diapers??
Hello! I ordered everything to make this, down the very container! However, I have a question before I get started. How much hot water do you actually use to dissolve the Wahsing Soda and Baking Soda? Thank you so much in advance for your time and for posting this clean and pure recipe ❤️
Hi:) I just tried to make this, however when I added the hot water to dissolve the baking soda and washing soda it just hardened it up and made it rock hard and won’t dissolve. Any idea what I did wrong?
Hi Krista – Hummm… you’ve got me stumped. Maybe double check the proportions and gradually add? I stir and stir and stir and then it will dissolve but still settle. I need to stir before using it, since it does not have all of the chemicals to hold everything together. Good luck! Hugs, Holly
Hello! I would like to try this, but was wondering if you have a certain amount of drops of oil that you use or if you just eyeball it? THANK YOU!
Hi Audrey – I normally use around 50 drops, but it’s entirely up to you. I like purification because it just smells so clean but you can mix it up with any oils to scent to your preference! Hugs, Holly
Thank you Holly! Purification is my FAVE so I will PROBABLY overdo it a bit 😉 Thanks for the info!
So if I want to make a recipe for a 2 gallon container would I just double the ingredients?
Hi Lauren – The container I used was 1 1/2 do I would s!ay add an extra 50% of the ingredients. A little more or less won’t hurt! Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Holly
How many drops of oil did you use?
I actually just made some according to your recipe, is it supposed to remain watery or thicken up like store bought detergent? We are slowly transitioning over to diy, my husband is a bit skeptical though he is just sitting along for the ride and letting me do my thing. He is currently looking at me strange cause it is still quite watery at the moment, did I do something wrong or is that how it is to remain?
How much water do you use to mix it all together?